Seasons
by Kage no Kitsune
Summary: For months they have been together as nothing more than friends. But one fatal move has cornered both of them and sent them spiraling towards a crash course. NaruSaku. CURRENTLY DISCONTINUED


**Seasons**

**Pairing: Naruto x Sakura **

**Summary: For months they have been together as nothing more than friends. But one fatal move has cornered both of them and sent them spiraling towards a crash course. **

**Disclaimer: Repeating this over and over again kind of gets on my nerves so I'll say this once. I don't own Naruto! I will never own Naruto and he rightfully belongs to his creator. **

**(A/N: This is a NaruSaku pairing, and I am aware that many people dislike this pairing so if you oppose these two being together you should leave now, there will be no bashing of anyone, not even Orochimaru and if you dare to flame me because of your own fickle tastes, I will hunt you down! Otherwise comments and suggestions appreciated, compliments loved.)

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**Chapter 1:**

He had asked her again, what was this? The maybe fourth, no fifth time this week? Sakura could never understand how one person could stand to be turned down so many times. She saw him as a friend, nothing more, yet he didn't seem to understand.

"Sakura, you wanna go out on a date with me?" She eyed him skeptically, as if questioning him to why he was asking such a ridiculous thing. "Naruto...I..." she couldn't find the heart to say it again. _'No Naruto, I only see you as a friend'_ or _'I have work to do...some other time?' _

She gave him a sympathetic look and walked over to the small desk near his bed. "Quiet down Naruto...you need to rest." He grinned and sat up. "I'm fine..see?" he stretched out his limbs as if confirming his statement. "I'll be outta here by tonight."

Sakura had no doubt about his current health condition, the Kyuubi helped him in more ways than one. "Naruto, I'm sorry but I have a lot of work to do..." Naruto shook his head. "You always say that, tonight I'm not taking that excuse..."

"Naruto, I really, really can't go...maybe some other time?" Naruto backed down and laid once again in his bed, his face looking like one of a wounded puppy. But it had to be this way, if she started to date him...she'd only be leading him on, and she just didn't like him that way...right?

They were friends, nothing more, nothing less, he was the one who was there for her when she was still mourning Sasuke's betrayal, he was always there for her, protecting her, but only as a friend. Nothing more, she always told herself, nothing more...

* * *

The night of the festival was tomorrow, you had to be older than sixteen to legally enter without your parents, and so this was the first time Sakura would be going alone.

But among her many girlfriends, she was the only one without a date. Tenten was going with Neji, Ino with Shikamaru, and even Hinata was going...with Kiba!

Many had asked her, but she turned them down one by one, she had been saving this night for Sasuke, but it seemed as if she wasn't going to get her wish. The festival was one night away...everyone would already have a date by the time she got out of her training with Tsunade...

There was a loud knock at the door, Sakura glanced at her incapacitated teacher and sighed. She made her way to the threshold when she heard his voice. "Oi! Sakura, let me in!" Sakura grinned as she opened the door for her friend.

"Hello." she waved in greeting and he returned it with another grin. "Sakura, you heard about the festival tomorrow right?" Sakura groaned, she knew where this was going. "I don't have a date, and well...it seems as if no one's asked you," on that, Sakura glared, "And I was wondering if you'd go with me?"

Sakura shook her head.

"How many times do I have to tell you? We're friends Naruto...only _friend_s." she muttered friends with as much force as she could, trying to drill it into Naruto's head. He grinned sheepishly and nodded. "I know that..."

"But I'm asking you to go, if you can't be my date, then we'll go as only _friends_, besides, you want to go to the festival with at least someone right? Even if he's your _friend_?" Naruto put special emphasis on 'friend' he gave Sakura one of his pleading looks and she finally gave in.

"Alright then...tomorrow at seven...don't be like Kakashi-sensei..."

Naruto held out his arm and did a 'Good Guy' pose, his mouth was drawn as far as if could go, he was smiling like crazy. "I won't be late Sakura, tomorrow at seven, okay?" Sakura waved him out. "Yeah, yeah, I have work to do, see you tomorrow."

Naruto left the office in a hurry, and ran immediately to Ichiraku ramen, telling everyone on the way about his achievement, as Sakura watched him out of a window she sighed. "By tomorrow night, everyone will know he's my date."

Sakura grumbled and approached her sensei, took the sake bottle from her and tapped her foot impatiently. "Sensei! Sensei!" Sakura growled out in frustration and bit her lower lip.

"Hokage-sama! They're giving out free sake at the grand opening of that new casino next to Ichiraku's!" Sakura did her best to sound excited and Tsunade bolted up in seconds.

She looked around wearily for a second before mumbling "You didn't have to trick me..." she groaned loudly, angry at being awakened from what she would call her 'beauty sleep'.

Sakura walked back into her little corner and once again resumed training, while her sensei started to finish her paperwork. "I hate this crap..." Sakura stifled a giggle, the Hokage wasn't as perfect as she seemed...

It was already 5:30 when Sakura started to scuttle around and begin to panic about what to wear, in the end she settled her hair with being combed very straight giving the impression it was longer than it actually was.

The Kimono she chose was a very simple one, red fabric with cherry blossoms and little vines snaking up her hips, the obi almost completely green, except for the dark green vines on its fabric, it was very simple, but it seemed far much more elegant on Sakura.

Maybe because her name was cherry blossom? The kimono she had worn was her favorite out of all the ones she had ever owned, it was almost like having an article of clothing specially made for you. Sakura walked towards her mirror and smiled.

After another couple of minutes of observing, the doorbell rang, Sakura turned her head to the noise. '_That must be Naruto..._' silently hoping he wasn't wearing the normal orange jumpsuit...

Sakura walked downstairs and greeted her friend, she was pleasantly surprised to see that he had found a way to clean himself up, '_Quite nicely..._' Inner Sakura was having a ball. Sakura had to stuff all of her obscene and somewhat graphic pictures back into her mind before turning her attention to her friend.

His hair was combed, she could tell, but it still had that spiky look to it, that was okay though, he still looked pretty good. His choice of clothing hadn't been the jumpsuit but it was orange all the same. '_He'll never change.._' Sakura mentally grumbled. '_Do you want him to?_' Inner Sakura purred and Sakura thought she was going crazy.

He held out his hand and took hers in his. He led her away and complimented her outfit, she smiled as they made their way to the festival at the center of the city.

Naruto was a nice guy, really, he was, but...he was a _friend_, and some how Sakura couldn't really see past that big word.

The first person they had met up with was Ino, and Sakura wasn't relieved at all, Ino was the village gossip, and word of this would probably get out to everyone faster than Naruto could run and tell it to everyone. She tried to hide herself, but Ino evidently found her.

"So you finally caved, eh?" Ino smirked, Sakura frowned. "Oh yeah Ino-pig? Whats going on with you and _your_ Shikamaru? Have you slept with him yet?" That seemed to hit the spot because in moments Ino was blushing shades of red and started to shout things like: '_Me and Shikamaru, are not going out!_' '_We have not slept together_' and '_Oh yeah? At least I have someone other than Naruto!_'

Meanwhile, Shikamaru and Naruto were chatting about things like recent missions, as if their dates weren't even there, that was true until Ino shouted extremely loudly: "I have not slept with Shikamaru forehead-girl!"

Where everyone turned their head to Ino and she blushed madly. Shikamaru sighed. "Che, women are so troublesome.." and then Ino dragged her date away to play some games or something like that to avoid further embarrassment.

Sakura let go of a breath she wasn't aware she was holding and turned in the direction that Ino left in, she was glad Ino had not put up much of a fight.

Naruto and Sakura continued to venture further into the festival, Naruto and Sakura hadn't played many games, and so Naruto stopped at a small game stand and said he would play. The objective was, to knock over stacked cans with some tennis balls.

Sakura had pleaded Naruto not to, they were all rip-off games anyway, but Naruto was determined to win her something and tried to knock them over, after twenty balls that hit the cans directly, without knocking them over, Naruto was about to buy another four when Sakura intercepted.

She took one of the playing balls and threw them directly at her target, not only knocking over the walls, but also, making a huge hole in the back of the tent. The person running the tent was to scared and ended giving Sakura a stuffed panda, no questions asked.

When they were walking away Naruto turned his head to Sakura. "What did you do?" Sakura cleared her throat innocently.

"Me? Why Naruto...I didn't do anything." they left it at that and Sakura was left to ponder if he found out that she had accumulated chakra into her fist while throwing and let it all out while she released the ball, giving her strength a large boost.

The next couple they met up to was Neji and Tenten, since Naruto didn't know they were going out he made a huge fuss about it and ended up embarrassing the couple more than himself. Sakura sighed, she realized it was going to be a long night...

While Naruto was trying to apologize to Neji, Sakura and Tenten had time to chat. Sakura groaned as she watched Naruto pathetically try to further his apologies to Neji by embarrassing him even more and turned back to Tenten. "I'm sorry about this..."

Tenten gave a knowing smile and nodded. "Well...he's Naruto, and he's your date." Sakura smacked her forehead. "We're going as friends, nothing more than friends, friends, only friends." Sakura had said friends so many times that she was already doubting her sanity.

Tenten smirked and nodded. "Sure...sure..." and walked away, Sakura felt worse than when Ino had taunted her, it was always the psychological attacks with Tenten...

The last people they met up with were Hinata and Kiba. They were enjoying a nice snack when Naruto saw them pass by. "Hey Hinata! Kiba! Over here!" Sakura groaned and pretended that she wasn't there.

"Oh hey, Sakura...N-Naruto." Sakura nodded weakly and Naruto gave a huge grin. "Hey Kiba, where's Akamaru?" Kiba turned his head and inspected Sakura closely. "He's at home, well, this is strange, you were probably the two least likely people to go together."

Hinata nodded, she had paled even more than she had been when she saw them, Naruto was after all her crush, and she had wanted to go with him, but the chances of asking him out herself without fainting were bad, and it didn't seem like Naruto was going to ask her.

Besides, Kiba asked first.

Naruto grinned. "We're go-" Sakura promptly cut him off. "We're going as only friends." Hinata's face turned a little less pale and Naruto grinned sheepishly. "Yep. Only friends." he stated it as if it was the most important fact in the world.

Hinata smiled again and Kiba gave a knowing smirk. "Well, we'll see you around." Naruto waved him goodbye, and they left, for the remainder of the festival, they enjoyed various games, some of which Naruto won, various foods, and in all Sakura said she had a good time.

* * *

On their way back Naruto started to chat. They stared with how annoying it was to have Kakashi-sensei late every time they got together and ended up with Naruto asking for another date.

Sakura started to shake her head but Naruto started to talk again. "You had a good time tonight didn't you? Please? Let me take you out for a dinner or something, We can go as friends if you like..." Naruto attempted to bait her but it didn't seem to work.

"Naruto I have a lot of work to do, today was fun, but," Naruto interrupted, "We're just friends, I know. I'm saying we can go as '_just friends_'" Sakura started to shake her head.

"Can you at least give it some thought?" Sakura looked up silently at Naruto's pleading eyes, how many years have they continued in this pattern? Naruto was her very best friend, she would give up her life for his, yet there was this aching feeling, the hole that Sasuke left...

She didn't know if she was capable of even loving Naruto. He had asked her out so many times, from the academy days to when she got Tsunade's OK for being her apprentice, and here now in the present walking home from a 'friendly date', how many years had he wanted only to be rejected?

Sakura could feel the pang of guilt in her heart, but some how if she went out with him, it would just seem to...weird.

But she couldn't deny the fact that she only wanted to be friends with him, she really didn't know what she was afraid of, really, she couldn't figure it out. Why had she broken his heart so many times?

Sakura gave out a sigh."Naruto, I'll give it some thought..." Naruto grinned eagerly, he obviously took this for a hopeful sign.

When they reached her house Sakura smiled kindly and thanked him, for taking her out, but mostly for dealing with her rejections for so long.

Her hand was already resting on the doorknob when he grabbed it and turned her towards him, it must have happened pretty fast because Sakura couldn't remember the details of what really happened, but Naruto turned her towards him, and he brought his lips closer to hers.

He kissed her.

Sakura stood still for a second, not really understanding it, her brain was running around telling her body to pull back, the little common sense in the back of her head was screaming at her but she wasn't listening.

She deepened the kiss and opened her mouth, letting his tongue freely roam, she didn't know why she did it, she was saving her first kiss for Sasuke, ever since she was little she had waited for this moment, but now that it was happening, it was beyond her wildest dreams.

It was kind of strange to see a sixteen year old girl who had never kissed before, but considering all the times she had turned others down, it probably meant she was waiting for that one special one.

Which she thought was Sasuke.

But it was Naruto.

How had this happened? And more importantly, why was she enjoying this?

She was supposed to be pushing him back, screaming for him to stop, but somehow she felt addicted, the kiss had drugged her, and now it seemed she couldn't live without Naruto.

When he finally stepped away there was a heavy blush on his face and Sakura was flustered, they hadn't expected it, no, they had a expected a light peck on the cheek, but this wasn't it, it was so much more.

Naruto hesitantly turned around and started to walk away, his face still somewhat red. "Wait!" she remembered calling out to him, she remembered him turning around, but the next thing she did seemed like a blur.

"Naruto...pick me up the day after tomorrow at seven?" Naruto stared at her, shocked, but nodded. "Yeah...I guess I'll see you there." Sakura smiled one of her special smiles reserved only for her teammates and Naruto left. On his way home anyone could see him grinning like a Cheshire cat, but they might have never known why.

**(A/N: Chapter up, please ignore spelling mistakes, I don't have spell check... Yeah, expect another chapter after I get enough reviews.) **


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